Abstract Background and Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the phenomenon of unauthorized change of use of agricultural lands (outside the city limits, towns and villages with a ...master plan) in East Azarbaijan province. Materials and Methods: To achieve this goal, the grounded theory method was used. The participants of the present study were experts on the phenomenon of changing the use of agricultural lands in the province, including activists in the agricultural sector and officials and experts of the Agricultural Jihad Organization and the management of agricultural jihad in the cities. Using targeted sampling and snowball sampling method, individuals were selected for interview and 20 of them were interviewed until theoretical saturation was reached. Results: The obtained data were coded and analyzed in the form of 120 initial codes and 30 categories. Based on the purpose of the study, the phenomenon of unauthorized change of use of agricultural lands was selected as a pivotal phenomenon. In the extracted model, causal conditions include the categories of "large differences in the price of agricultural land with the prices of other uses", "greed of brokers and profiteers", "problems of the agricultural sector" and ather , contextual conditions including "problems and weaknesses of the policy and planning system", "problems and shortcomings of the control and monitoring system", "problems and weaknesses of the legislative system "," deficiencies and weaknesses of the Jihad Agricultural Organization " and ather, intervening conditions including" purchase and sale of agricultural land by agreement "," micro Strategies and fragmentation of agricultural lands "," cultural change and the existence of problems and social needs" and ather, strategies include "lack of land management and "comprehensive use of agricultural land protection", "violation of laws and regulations", "lack of comprehensive laws and regulations on land use protection", "Poor performance of agencies and institutions in charge of supervision and supervision", "poor and incorrect management and planning" and "problems of using industrial estates" and negative consequences including "reduction of agricultural production and food security", "creating economic and social problems in villages, agricultural areas and villa construction sites", "increasing problems and costs of society and government ", "society and government" and "destruction of soil, agricultural lands and the environment" and positive consequence include "construction and maintenance of gardens around garden houses and villas" and "increasing the value of land." Conclusion: The main and direct factors called causal conditions and indirect factors called contextual and intervening conditions to provide the necessary conditions for the phenomenon of unauthorized change of use of agricultural lands, but the conditions are not sufficient and if the strategies in this process is not present and does not play its role, these factors will not be able to cause this negative phenomenon. As a result of this phenomenon, irreparable negative consequences have been created in agriculture and rural areas. The most necessary and the first step to preserve the use of agricultural lands is to preparation and implement the required comprehensive laws and programs based on comprehensive land use planning.
